


A Single Word

by Challia



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-25
Updated: 2017-10-22
Packaged: 2019-01-05 10:25:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12188160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Challia/pseuds/Challia
Summary: Modern AU. Sansa is an aspiring young actress who comes to Hollywood to star alongside with Petyr Baelish and Cersei Lannister in a modern adaptation of 'Dangerous Liaisons'.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Alright, dear Readers.  
> I had this idea for a story in mind for quite a while. I love P. Ch. De Laclose's book 'Dangerous Liaisons' and Stephen Frears' film from 1988. I wasn't very fond of the 1999 modern adaptation 'Cruel Intentions' but when I was trying to get my mind to find a suitable background for a modern AU story for Sansa and Petyr, 'Dangerous Liaisons' popped up.
> 
> Before I post anything I would like to point out a few important factors.
> 
> * First of all, this a story about love. I cannot tell you if it's a happy story with a good ending, or a sad one, which will make you all tear out. I can't tell you this because I don't know myself yet. But honestly, after reading all the angsty, dramatic stuff here, AND after what happened in the Game of Thrones TV show, I wanted to write something lighter. To give our favourite couple some happiness that they didn't receive elsewhere.  
> * Second thing. Main characters in this story are actors. So I know that instinct will tell you to compare them to actors from the show. Compare their behavior to Sophie and Aidan. To Lena and Emilia. How they present themselves, how they talk, walk etc. And at one moment you might even think: 'Wait, that is not how Aidan would say it, that is not him because he is not so bold but shy, it's out of character for him to act like this'. But it is not who they are HERE and it is not how I decided to picture them.  
> * In this story main characters are Sansa Stark and Petyr Baelish. Not Sophie Turner and Aidan Gillen. So their characters are the Game of Thrones characters. They will present themselves as those characters and their behavior will be the same or similar as in the books or show. Sansa is not Sophie here and Petyr is not Aidan. Only thing that have in common with them is that they all live in 21st century and they make movies for a living.  
> * I thought it would be good to outline this since I also caught myself while thinking of this story that hey, Aidan is so different from how I'm trying to picture him. But it's not Aidan Gillen who is the main character here, it's Petyr Baelish. So my main 'actor' in the film production I am presenting, isn't as nice as our beloved Irish muffin, I am afraid.  
> * Both Sansa and Petyr are in a relationships of some sort when this story begins. If you don't want to see them with other people, do not read it.  
> * Also Sansa is not as innocent here as in the books or the show. Just saying. She is 22 here. Pretty much grown up.  
> * That is it then, I hope you will enjoy the ride. Please comment, constructive criticism is more than welcome. Your feedback will give me purpose and energy to continue, I am sure.  
> * Oh one more thing. As always, I write in 2nd person and present tense. And that won't change. Sorry!!!!

'What..?'

You hold the phone in your hand, shaking. What you are hearing couldn’t possibly be true, right? You must be getting it all wrong.

But the voice on the other side keeps repeating it over and over, congratulating you and wishing a great journey. But they must have gotten the wrong number or the wrong person. They couldn’t have just picked you…of all the girls who wanted this role.

’Once again miss Stark, have a pleasant flight and contact our casting director as soon as you land at LAX. See you soon.’

‘Yeah..um..thank you. Thank you very much..’.

You are being polite but confusion doesn’t leave your trembling voice. This just cannot be true, this is just too good to be true. Auditioning for the role in the new blockbuster film based on ‘Dangerous Liaisons’ by Pierre Chaderlos de Laclos was something you did for adventure. Your mother encouraged you to do it and, being a former actress, she surely gave you all the necessary tips and clues, and maybe even a hint of talent. So far though, you were rather focusing on your studies and never took acting seriously. You did a few commercials here and there, mostly for the need of money for college and whatever else, but you always treated it like a good fun, opportunity for being among interesting people and maybe seeing a few celebrities from time to time. Going for the audition was really your boyfriend’s idea.

Harry always told you how talented you are and how you should follow your mother’s steps into acting career, instead of studying English Literature to become an author of boring books or poems. Funny thing though, Harry was indeed a very well aspiring writer himself so you always used to mock him about encouraging you to act whereas he should be really supporting your career as a writer.

But now, with one phone call everything turned upside down for you. You won the casting for the role of Cecile Volanges in the new Castle Black production, entitled ‘Vanity’. In the book, the play and the previous adaptations that the film would be based, the role of Cecile is one of the leading and at the same time, more important female roles. And one that is also very demanding. During the casting you were supposed to read an extract from the scenario and play a scene with Gendry Baratheon, who had been already casted as Raphael Danceny. With all those people watching you, including Tyrion Lannister, the director himself, the whole experience was very stressful. You were sure you totally failed it, or even worse, made a complete idiot of yourself, even though everyone around was so nice and Tyrion Lannister’s first words after you finished auditioning were _‘Good job miss Stark. Good job indeed. You may surprise all of us yet’_.

But now this phone call….It was a person from the production calling, you were so shocked that they even called you, you did not quite catch that person’s name, something close to…Weiss, or something like that. And in 2 minutes he was already congratulating you and confirming that you actually got the part. And even now, standing with a blank expression on your face and mouth open with surprise, you still couldn’t believe it.

‘Sansa?’ Your sister’s voice emerges from the void. ‘Sansa? You okay? Who was that?’

You will have to tell her. You will have to tell your mother. You will have to tell Harry as well. Because this is happening. This is really happening. You are going to Hollywood. This is real.

‘Sansa, you are scaring me. Talk to me, damnit!’ Arya pinches your arm and you finally come out of your initial shock.

You look at your sister’s worried expression and finally you grin wildely. ‘Oh my God. Oh my God, Arya. You are not going to believe it. Oh my God! Mom?!’

You start calling your mother, she is in the garden most likely working on her herb garden, but as soon as you emerge through the front door she is already there, worried look on her face, same as moments ago Arya had, but fading when seeing your bright eyes and genuine smile.

‘Sansa why are you screaming? I’m sure you were heard as far as Boston. What happened?’ Catelyn Stark takes a glimpse at her younger daughter, but Arya only shrugs.

‘I got the role mom. The one I auditioned for. I got it' you state simply.

‘The one you said that went terribly and you made them all laugh at you?’ Arya’s sarcasm was annoying most of the time but now, you are paying no attention. You are too excited for that.

‘The same one, yeah’ you smile sweetly at your sister. ’Cecile Volanges in ‘Vanity’. I can’t believe they actually picked me. I must have done something good after all’.

‘Sweetie, that’s amazing. You are gonna be amazing. I am so proud of you, Sansa. Your father would be too, I am sure.’ Catelyn hugs you tight, with tears in the corner of her eyes. Yes, your father never was fond of his wife’s acting career, which was one of her reasons for quitting, but you know that he would be proud of any success his children achieve. And this is indeed your success. Or at least a start of something better. You embrace your mother and take a look at Arya as she rolls her eyes and turns around. You wonder if she is jealous. Ever since they were children, there was always some unspoken rivalry between the two of you and you never got on well. And as much as you love and care for each other, this underneath tension was always there and probably always will be. It is a matter of your characters and personalities. Arya has always been an extrovert, a wild soul, never followed the rules, ever rebellious. She was always very close to your father and now that Ned Stark passed away after an uneven battle with cancer, Arya became more rebellious and anxious than ever. You on the other hand, were always the calm one, the introvert with your own small world around you, surrounded in your solitude by books and films, stories about love, passionate to experience something like that someday. Everything about you was reversed to what Arya presented. And you were always also your mother’s daughter. Not only physically, but mentally you two were so much alike. Your mother has also always been closer to you than father, even though you obviously loved him very much. So yes, if there is something and somewhere that you go to after death, you know he is watching you from there, happy.

‘I’m gonna call Harry. He really encouraged me to take part in this casting while I wasn’t that sure so I think I owe him at least a thank you. He’s gonna be thrilled’. And with this you’re dialing his number. Then you hear Arya.

‘Yea, I am sure you will reward him the best you can’.

‘Arya’. Catelyn’s voice is ice cold when she turns to her younger daughter. ’Whatever else you would like to comment on so brightly, I am sure you will be able to while you help me make dinner’.

‘But I was supposed to take Nymeria out’ Arya says boldly. Catelyn knows how much she just hates housework.

‘Now’. Seeing as this is the end of discussion, Arya follows her mother as they both disappear behind the patio door.

* * *

 

Discussion with Harry went surprisingly unwell. At some point he seemed happy that you got the part but also you felt disappointment from him. It’s almost as if he was glad for you because you won and proved yourself to be better than ten thousand other girls who auditioned, but at the same time he wanted you to refuse taking the part in order to stay with him. You tried to explain that this is such a big opportunity for you, a chance for a new start and achieving something fascinating but he kept being cold about it, or even angry at some point.

‘You realize Sansa, how much your life will change now? Not only you are going to the other end of the country, but this is Hollywood. People there will eat you alive if you do not fit in there. You are so fragile, so delicate creature and Los Angeles is so far away and the world of money and fame is really ruthless. I understand this is a huge chance for you but I thought you didn’t want to be an actress?’

Harry’s voice almost breaks on his side of the line. He is so full of concern but also you sense hidden anger and resentment.

‘Harry, it’s only a few weeks of filming, I will return to New York after this, you know I will. I don’t understand why you make such a deal of it. Instead of being happy for me..’

‘I am happy for you Sansa, I just do not want to loose you. And I will. I know I will, have you checked the casting list? I am looking at it right now on the net. And I see all those famous actors there who will surely want to get to your pants and it’s driving me mad!’

‘Harry’. You will not get provoked easily. He is your boyfriend but you are not his property. ‘Harry, how long have we been dating?’

‘Three years’.

‘Three years. Three years of weekends, holidays, parties, all-night conversations and planning our future all this time. And you honestly think that I will get easily charmed by some stranger only because he is famous or rich? I had no idea you think that low of me’.

You try to seem offended and in a way you truly are. Harry is a good person but has always been jealous and he knows how much you hate it. Especially if it’s an unreasonable jealousy.

‘Sansa, I am just afraid..’

‘Then don’t be. Trust me and let me be happy for this moment in my life. A chance like that may never come again’.

‘I thought you were happy Sansa. Looks like I was wrong’. And with this he hangs up.

Great. The last thing you wanted is a completely unnecessary fight. For whatever a hypothetic reason. You sigh. You decide this will not ruin your day and think about it later. Let both of you cool off the emotions and talk to him maybe tomorrow. Really, how childish of him is to presume that the first chance you have, you will jump to bed with somebody, only because it’s Hollywood.

Dinner is not ready yet so you take your laptop and decide to check the cast list Harry spoke about. First thing you do though is checking your e-mails. And it’s there. A message from the Castle Black film production company.

_‘Miss Stark,_

_The show runners and producers of ‘Vanity’ are happy to welcome you in our film cast. Beneath are all the details you need to know about filming and the cast and crew of the film, please take your time to look through them and confirm your arrival to the set on September 15th 2017. ‘_

_Castle Black_

_PS. Script in the attachment. ‘_

Alright then.

'Let’s have a look’ you murmur to yourself. The cast list looks impressive. Mostly well known names with the pictures attached, but also some debutants like yourself. You already had the chance to meet Gendry Baratheon who will be playing your love interest in the film and he seemed nice enough. Also quite handsome.

Cersei Lannister will be playing the leading role of Isabelle Merteuil which you think is an amazing choice at least physically. Cersei is a beautiful dark haired woman in the early forties, known for various scandals, addictions and romances. She should be great as cruel and ruthless Isabelle Merteuil.

Here is an interesting choice. Petyr Baelish as Valmont. Not an American but European actor, quite well acclaimed apparently. You have heard this name before and even seen him once in some obviously popular TV show about kings, queens and dragons, but it never attracted your attention.

However you remembered Petyr Baelish from it.

You bite your lower lip when you take a closer look at his picture. Not a bad looking guy. Not some doe-eyed hunk but rather an elegant, classy man, in forties as well with intelligence written on his face. You catch yourself staring in his eyes because there is some unnamed intensity there. As if he was piercing your soul through the screen.

'Sansa! Dinner’s ready’ Arya’s shout wakes you up from your stupor and you blink.

Damn, he almost hypnotized me with this look.

It is only three of you tonight at the dinner table. Bran is on a two-week recovery camp in Maine, after he injured his spine while jumping from a cliff to unknown water, and Rickon is out with his girlfriend, Lyana Mormont. Rob has moved out many years ago and now lives in Washington, building up his political career, quite successfully. With the presidential election coming soon, he should be very busy at the Congress to prepare the Democrats candidate, Jaime Lannister for the vote. And then there is Jon. He is your half-brother and your mother doesn’t talk about him much. All you know is that at some point Nad Stark had an affair which resulted in Jon coming to this world. It doesn’t bother you at all, never did. Between all the siblings, he was always treated like one of them and a part of the family. Jon lives in Los Angeles and works as a movie stuntman so you suppose you will be staying with him for the time you will spend there filming.

‘So’ Arya begins without even raising her eyes from the green beans and salmon she has been moving around her plate for the last 10 minutes.’When are you leaving then?’

You chew the food thinking on how you should answer this.

‘Well, the filming starts on 15th, but I suppose I should be there earlier. To prepare, know the city a bit and find a place to stay if Jon and Ygritte don’t take me in’ .

’15th  this month?’ Saying that Catelyn Stark is surprised would be an understatement.’ It’s in 2 weeks..’

‘I know’ Your eyes focused on the food, not daring to look at your mother.

‘Well that leaves very little preparation time. You won’t be able to find anything on your own at this time so for as much as I dislike this idea, you will be staying with Jon. I will call him after dinner.’

You stay quiet. What is there to say really? For as much as everything is so new and exciting and you can’t really wait, it means separation from your family. A long one. And a promise of your life being changed forever.

‘Sansa dear’ your mother starts ‘Care to give us any details of the film? Or is that all so very secretive as always?”

‘What would you like to know?’

‘Who you’ll be starring with, for starters?’ Arya simply replies

‘Cersei Lannister’ you whisper carefully and your mother knowingly smiles.

‘Gendry Baratheon’ and Arya coughs slightly, swallowing her coke.

‘Petyr Baelish’. And here comes that look from Catelyn. You don’t know why, but all of a sudden you are feeling judged. And your mind fragile and exposed. Your mother cleans her mouth with a handkerchief and slowly starts speaking.

‘Sansa, there is one thing I would like you to know before you go there.’

‘Alright’. You wait. What is there to be said all of a sudden?

‘Whatever you do, wherever you go, do not trust Petyr Baelish. Ever. He is known for…things and has a reputation. You do not want to be anywhere near him if the film doesn’t require it.’

‘I bet she has some steamy scenes with him though’ Arya chuckled.

‘Do you?. Have you read the script, Sansa?' Catelyn asks with a worried look on her face.  

‘Well, I might have to kiss him, that is all I know for now. But mom, it’s just a film, we act. It’s a game, it isn’t real. So stop worrying.’

‘Just be careful around him. I mean it.’ And with that, Catelyn Stark leaves the dinner table and Arya soon follows. Whatever they both had in mind, you will worry about it later. For now, you have several days to prepare to leave for Los Angeles and Hollywood. An adventure. A new beginning. There is a dim memory about Harry, still angry, still sad. Well, this is not his life. It’s yours. And your chance to take.

With a sigh, you rise from your chair and head up to your room. You grab your biggest bag, and start packing.

Time to move on.

 

* * *

 

 

 _'Oh fuck, Petyr..’_ She moans incoherently now, and you are giving it to her good. Hard, fast and deep. Just the way she likes it. Your bad girl, Margaery.

‘You like it Marg? You like to be fucked like this? Yea?’

‘Oh my God, yes. Petyr, yes, yes’.

‘Say it. Say how much you want it Margaery. Now’. 

'Oh fucking hell...'

Sex with her is always like this. Lots of dirty talk and hard fucking. Ends up with mutual satisfaction and amazing orgasms for you both. And you like it that way.

It doesn’t complicate your lives since long ago you agreed on this form of relation, that will not affect your personal and professional lives. And now as you give her another amazing orgasm and soon follow, you think for a second how live can never get anymore perfect than this. Blissful. Quiet. Still.

‘Oh my God, Petyr..’ She sighs heavily coming down from her high. ‘I am so going to miss it now’.

You can’t help but chuckle. ’It’s my job, you know this. I will only be away for a few weeks, and you can always visit me on set’.

You kiss her neck delicately. ’That way we won’t stay apart for too long’.

‘Yea, I know. So..” Margaery rises up from the bed to pour herself some wine. ‘Who are you playing alongside this time?’.

You haven’t really checked the cast list up until now. You know there is Cersei Lannister there. Meh. Good thing you got no love scenes with her. Daenerys Targaryen will be playing your main love interest. You check her picture since you don’t know much about this British actress yet. She seems talented but there is something terribly boring about her. Oh well, this is your job. Faking. And that is what you will do, as always. You take a brief look at the other cast actors on the list as Margaery is busy swiping her phone. She has been your long time lover since you filmed the ‘Fire vs Ice’ thing but nothing really is there between the two of you aside pure amazing sex. A great, passionate sex. But that is all. And it is perfectly fine for you. No unnecessary distractions. Checking the latest message from Castle Black and your fingers suddenly stop.

A girl with auburn hair and blue eyes appears at your screen, with a name of Sansa Stark..

Well, that’s unexpexted. Cat’s daughter surely, looking so much like her mother in her early years. You try to not judge, to stay neutral and indifferent about it. But the girl looking at you from her IMDB portrait is just piercing into your soul without warning, without any explanation, without care..She is just there, looking at you with that wide and sincere blue eyes, waiting for you to seal them with yours.

‘You’re an idiot’ you repeat to yourself over and over, even after Margaery has left.

Sansa Stark will be your co-star in your next project but this is only work. Only that. _Nothing will ever affect my professional approach to my job. Ever. Not even Catelyn’s daughter._


	2. Encounters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimers for the content I will be posting from now on. It is important so take a moment to read please. 
> 
> * I do not own anything associated with either Game of Thrones or A Song of Ice and Fire.  
> * This story is only a product of my imagination and not of someone else's ideas. It only happens to include my favorite Game of Thrones characters.  
> * All the pictures I use on this site are copied from Google and so I do not own any of it. Same thing goes for songs extracts, quotes and citations.

                                                                                                     

****

**_'When you see her, say a prayer and kiss your heart goodbye'._ **

**_"_ ** _Who's that girl"_ _Madonna_

 

 

 

 

**PETYR**

****

 

 Margaery insisted on driving you to the JFK airport and for as much as you wanted to take some rest from her charming presence, you knew that arguing with her was pointless. It has always been. For all those years you have known each other, first as friends, then lovers, Margaery Tyrell always had an influence on you and you weren’t sure why. Was it her charm, beauty or personality, you couldn’t deny there had always been great chemistry between the two of you. You were just similar in many ways and shared similar goals.

 Also both of you enjoyed the ‘friends with benefits’ relationship you were in.

 Keeping things on physical level only was comfortable for both of you. Allowed you to live your lives separately, not getting in each other's way with knowing that you always could count on one another if needs be, and sex was a nice addition to it. Great sex to be exact. Both of you did not need an emotional distress and all other complications that come with it.

“Looks like it’s going to rain’’ you say, watching the darkened sky through the window of Margaery’s elegant SUV.

“Looks more like a thunderstorm is coming, the air is electrified”

“Great”..

“Yea, I know how much you hate bumpy flights”

 It was true. For as much as you hated flying and you never gotten used to it, even though it was so often considering your profession, turbulent flights was something you always dreaded. You suspected the reason for your fear had its roots in distant past, when you were still a teenager and traveled by plane for the first time during the most violent weather. The plane was shaking then so much, losing the height and you still can remember all those people around screaming, praying and waiting for the worst. But it never came. Minutes passed and pilots steadied the machine, the wind and thunders calmed down and you landed safely.

 You have traveled by air hundreds of times since then and been through lots of turbulence and air holes, but the memory of that first terrifying flight still lingered there and was always under your skin every time you boarded a plane.

 Unfortunately, the vision of your flight to Los Angeles today was not looking desirable for there was a big thunderstorm on the horizon _and_ on all weather channels, but there still was a slight chance that the LA directed planes will actually find their way around it.

"Petyr?'' Margaery glances at you with concern while trying to avoid the most jammed traffic lanes on the causeway.

"Yea, hmm" you smile at her "I think I will need lots of whiskey to through that flight tonight".

"Too bad I am not coming with you this time, we might pass the flight with something way more entertaining" Margaery is still in that all-flirt mood that you adore and you cannot help but grin. "You remember our flight to Croatia? Damn, it was nice".

"The cabin crew had a lot of fun cleaning up our mess we did in the restroom that day" you respond. "And it was only a two hour flight. Was fun."

"Well do not worry hun. I will join you in LA after the theatre season is over". Margaery sighs. "Only three more weeks of playing _her_. She is such a boring role.."

You can't help but cringe, giving Margaery a doubtful look. "Boring? Anna Karenina is boring to you?"

"Maybe not boring ..but she is just romantic to the bone. I can't stand that, because she always acts like she is in some stupid fairy tale or a song and her life is really hard but she always remains a dreamer. And life is not a song. Never."

 You watch Margaery while she spits those words. When did she become so bitter? Somehow you feel that all she is saying right now isn't about a role she has been playing on Broadway this season, but maybe it's about something else. And you do not wish to find out. It is her life, her emotions, and her bitterness after all.

 The traffic at this hour is always horrible in New York and you check your watch nervously. An hour and a half. This is all you got now to check in, go through security and board the plane. You hate to be late because the next one is in two hours and that would mean a really late landing in LA tomorrow, knowing the day will be busy enough. You have several meetings planned. A lunch with Tyrion Lannister who directs "Vanity", and your first rehearsal. The rehearsal is just a formality really, but the production needs to see how you will act along Cersei Lannister and Daenerys Targaryen.

 And Sansa Stark.

She is set to come rehearse tomorrow as well. Her role is not major, more like a _supporting role_ but she will have several scenes with you. Including two love scenes. You checked her profile on the web earlier today. She doesn't have any real acting experience, only a few adverts really, but her mother is Catelyn Stark so you are sure the talent is there.

Catelyn..

No, you cannot allow for yourself to think of her right now. The past is in the past. The fact that you will be soon kissing and touching Catelyn's daughter is irrelevant.

It means absolutely nothing to you.

"Alrighty, we are here". Margaery's voice wakes you up from thoughts clouding your mind.

"Thanks for the ride, love". You lean in and kiss her. Her lips are warm and welcoming. Your tongues touch briefly and she sighs into your mouth. "I'm going to miss that. Miss you."

"Liar". She smiles sweetly and that's what you like about her. She can't be tricked. She knows you inside out, your personality and your little games.

That is why you are such a perfect match.

* * *

 

_Last call for passengers travelling with Delta Airlines to Los Angeles. Please attend to gate 27. Thank you and we wish you a pleasant journey._

_Damnit, it's time._ You weigh carefully an almost empty glass of whiskey in your hand and glance on the screen of flights table. Yup, boarding time. With a sigh you take your final gulp of the drink and step off the bar chair, heading to your gate. As you approach you can see that you are one of the last passengers boarding. A smile forms in the corner of your lips. You should be one of the first. Having a first class ticket and all. But you hate planes. This will never change and you prefer to spend all the waiting time over a glass of a decent Glenfiddich or Laphroaig instead of a plane seat.

You hand your passport and boarding pass to the pretty stewardess and she blushes instantly. She recognizes you. Well, it is a side effect of being an actor. The better productions you get involved with, the more attention you get from the outside world.

"Uhm..Welcome on board Mr. Baelish. Enjoy your flight, please." She mumbles, her chin dropped, her eyes wandering around everywhere but his face.

"Thank you, I highly doubt that I will". You smile sweetly at her confused face and pass the gate heading to the plane entrance.

The first class is placed at the very front of the cockpit so thankfully, you do not have to walk too far, carrying your hand luggage and your Mac. For as much as you will be able to stay focused, _if_ the flight isn't too bumpy, you're planning to spend the most part of it reading and learning your script for tomorrow's rehearsal.

So, being the last passenger to board,  you eventually reach your seat and you are most surprised than ever finding a young, red-haired woman there, deeply asleep.

Confused, you check your boarding pass. It says clearly: 7A. The seat where the girl is seated now, curled up, covered in a scottish-crate poncho.

_Great..Now I will have to wake her up._

"Hey". You touch her arm tentatively. No response.

"Hey, you're sitting on my spot darling.." You poke her harder.

"Umm..what?" The young woman shrugs and finally opens her eyes.

"7A is my seat honey. You must have gotten lost. Sorry to wake you up but I need to seat somewhere". You sound almost apologetically, not only for waking her up but basically casting her out of the comfortable seat.

And then her eyes turn to you. A wave of deep blue covers you in an instant. And you realize then that it doesn't matter where she or you were supposed to be sitting. It is completely irrelevant.

She looks almost like _Her_. Same auburn hair. Same large blue eyes. Same parted lips and a bit pointy nose. Catelyn stark incarnate.

Only the woman occupying your plane seat isn't Catelyn stark, but her eldest daughter, Sansa.

* * *

 

**SANSA**

****

Still a bit blurry vision from your sleep, but as you open your eyes finally and look up, you meet an intense stare of greenish orbs, glued to you as you try to compose yourself.

 The man standing in the aisle of the first class cabin is watching you carefully while you try to collect yourself from the nap you never intended on getting. But the last two nights did not grant you any sleep. The packing, excitement for the upcoming trip, the rehearsals tomorrow and the whole filming, took the best of you. _Harry hasn't even called you back...._

The man looks familiar but you can hardly place his face in your memory.

"Um sir..." you start talking but he cuts you out.

"Do not worry sweetling. Just move over. Your seat is over there". He holds your boarding card in his hands and you wonder how it ended up there.

Your eyes follow his hand as he shows you the direction. The seat is right by the one you're sitting in, you simply must have messed it up since it's the first time you actually travel with the first class.

"Oh".

"You read your boarding card all wrong. It happens". He smiles, and you can't help it but you shyly smile back.

"I'm sorry again". You start to raise and move when you find him blocking your way.

"You know, it's okay, stay where you were".

"But.."

"I will take your spot my dear. I do not need to sit by the window, really".  In fact, he doesn't look happy. He carefully places his hand luggage in the overhead locker and as comfortable as possible, he takes his seat, opening the laptop. You glance at him sheepishly. He looks so very familliar...

You take in his deep green eyes, greyish even..His dark hair with a touch of silver on his temples..The elegant steel grey suit he is wearing, so in contrast to your green sweatshirt and black leggings you chose for this flight to feel comfortable. His accent..something so familiar about it but at once, so foreign.

When you realize it, it hits you hard and you wonder how is it even possible? That sort of coincidence. You knew you have seen him before, you knew you recognized his voice. But only now, when he sits so close to you, eyes focused on his laptop, squinting..his lips moving involuntarily, smirking...now you know. He is your partner in the movie you're about to shoot. Petyr Baelish. Your future film love interest.

Totally indifferent to your presence right now, lost in his thoughts. You wonder if he knows that soon you will be partners to be. There is no reason for you to believe he might have actually noticed you, you only appeared in a few commercials after all. And nothing proved him actually noticing you. Only his politeness earlier maybe. But then again, a well behaved man would show it to anyone.

The security announcement starts playing and the plane starts to move lazily. You don't like flying, you never did. You don't like the sound of the engines, the feeling of taking off, leaving the ground and moving to the thin air. You hate the feeling of being dependant on someone, on the pilots in this case, and not being able to act. It was always like this. You enjoyed the atmosphere at airports. People travelling to distant places in the world. Meeting each other mid-way to never see each other again, it was fascinating in its own way. But flying itself, you hated.

You hear the engines work and the place picks up its speed.

"It's normal, you know" you hear a voice from the other side of the aisle.

"The turbulence. The speed and this feeling...like nothing depends on you.." You turn your gaze to him but his eyes are close. He seems pretty relaxed, leaning on his backseat, smirking a little but his lips sealed.

"I hate the takeoff.." You manage to say eventually. "It's like I cannot control my life anymore".

"That's because you can't. I hate flying as well. I never sleep during a flight. I never eat. I drink though because it helps." He opens his eyes and in this very moment, you feel them dig down into you, as the greenish-grey seems to read you inside out.

"What kind of a drink is you're having on this flight, Sansa?".

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is kinda a slow burn thing. But you will get your love & smut sweetlings, eventually.


	3. Arrival

**_“I am falling for your eyes but they don’t know me yet”_ **

Ed Sheeran

 

**SANSA**

 

****

 

 

The low buzz of the engines keeps you restless. You sip your Chardonnay lazily, trying your best to focus on the script in your hands. You are certain that you know your lines by heart already but you’ve been so nervous by having your rehearsal scheduled for tomorrow, that you keep repeating and reading it all over again, fearing the lines might vanish from your head somehow. You know of course that won’t happen. Even being inexperienced and fresh in acting, you have always trusted your instincts and because of this you have faith in yourself.

It’s just a practice session after all, they just want to see you and check what is there to improve if anything is.

 

And how well will you perform alongside your partner.

 

You take a side glance at your travel companion. He is reading as well, but it’s not a script in his hands, but a book entitled “Full Dark, No Stars” by no one other but your favorite author, Stephen King. Well this is unexpected. Petyr Baelish doesn’t look like a man who would be interested in popular culture. He looks very distinctive and like someone who would fancy more sophisticated literature. You’d rather take him for a James Joyce admirer or even a Henry Miller reader. Petyr seems so taken by the book, that you take a chance to examine him a little further. You haven’t really had a moment yet to take a good look at him since the takeoff, first because you didn’t want to stare, and second – you have been startled by the fact that not only the two of you met here, on this plane, by pure chance, but also that he looks so much better and more attractive than on TV or in the pictures.

He isn’t wearing anything too expensive or fancy, but still he looks elegant. Simple white shirt, sleeves rolled up a little and blue jeans is always a matching combination. He has headphones on but the volume is too low for you to hear.

You take a look at his short dark hair, with a shade of grey outstanding on the temples. The brief stubble on his cheeks, the color of his skin, touched by sun not so far ago. His eyes are focused on the book but you know they’re greenish. Or greyish maybe? Deep and intense. You take a look at his lips but decide not to linger there for too long as you see him licking the corner of his mouth briefly. You feel that if you keep examining him like this, it is maybe a little inappropriate. So your eyes travel down his body, his firm shoulders, lean torso, reaching his hands, also very nice hands indeed. Then you look up again, up to his neck and shirt open in just a few buttons but that’s enough for you to see his collarbone and a bit of dark hair that start their way down from here. You bite your lower lip and for some reason your eyes decide to remain on this spot for just a moment longer…

 

“No one told you it’s rude to stare like that?” You hear someone’s voice, very low and quiet and you are so deep in your thoughts that it takes you half a second to realize it is Petyr.

 

You blink and withdraw instantaneously. You feel your face burn all shades of red and no wonder why. You were caught and now he probably thinks god knows what about you.

What a great start for the two of you in the eve of working together.

 

“I…sorry. I was just thinking about something and…sorry. God, that’s embarrassing”.

You start mumbling and eventually you are lost with words, not knowing what else to say, how to explain yourself. You are even afraid to look at him because if you did, he would see in your eyes exactly what you were thinking of just seconds ago. But you finally bring your eyes to his and see that Petyr isn’t annoyed or angry. Corner of his lips is slightly up but the smile doesn’t reach his eyes. His eyes study you carefully, as if trying to read what’s in your mind. But other than that, he seems rather amused.

 

“And what was it that you were thinking, Sansa?”

 

“Um…your book actually”

 

“My book?”

 

“Yes, you see…Stephen King is my favorite writer but I still haven’t had a chance to read this one” you’re pointing on the novel in his hands. “Wanted to ask you how is it” you shrug your arms and smile innocently.

 

“Ah, I see. But…shouldn’t you be more interested in the script for tomorrow?

I believe we have a scene together and from what I noticed, it’s quite filled with dialogue”.

 

“Why aren’t you preparing then?”.

 

“That’s because I have already learned all my lines”.

 

“Well, me too”.

 

“Are you sure, Miss Stark? Or maybe we should see if you really have?”.

 

Petyr is teasing you now and you are tempted to play this little game with him, to have a little bit of fun on this long and boring flight. You open your mouth in order to respond and at the same time a powerful turbulence hits and you feel the plane loose elevation.

 

**PETYR**

 

****

“Petyr?” Sansa’s voice seems almost unreal and coming from afar. “Are you alright?”.

 

Bump.

 

Than a moment of silence. Then another bump, stronger than the previous one.

 

Then a turbulence. One after another.

 

The machine drops several feet and you can feel your stomach clench, almost in your throat now. The plane is shaking violently, the ‘Fasten the seat belts’ sign is flashing. Cabin crew running frantically threw the cabin, securing the overhead lockers, the trolleys, checking on the most panicked passengers.

 

Oh how much you hate this.

 

You know it happens all the time, all of approximately 99% flights but reminding yourself that isn’t even close to convincing. You just hate it. The fact that the fate of your life depends on others, in this case two pilots and a machine. You hate it that you don’t have any control over your life and that certain situation, and the thought itself is making you insecure.

 

“Petyr?” she sounds concerned, unsure…worried even.

 

“I am okay Sansa”. You slowly turn to face her and your green eyes match hers.

“I just do not like flying”.

 

“It is normal, you said so yourself” she  states matter-of-factly.

 

“Doesn’t make it any less scary, does it?”

 

“Hey” She looks deeply in your eyes and her lips form into a small smile.

And all of a sudden you feel her hand over yours, skin brushing over skin, her thumb caressing your palm and your wrist, so innocent yet so brave..

 

“It really IS normal. Completely. You said so yourself. So just relax.”

 

The feeling of her touch is electrifying. But she is warm and steady…so opposed to your panicking moments not so long ago.. .You are not a man who would fear of anything. You hate flying, everyone knows this.

 

Her fingers entwine with yours and you can feel her reassuring smile.

 

“Hey you, Mr. Baelish…Now, I wouldn’t take you for a coward. Or should I?”

 

Sansa is mocking you right now but you know she isn’t making fun of your irrational anxiety. She says all this just to comfort you, to help you relieve of the stress and even though the machine is still suffering from light turbulence, you find yourself slowly relax.

 

The plane finally stabilizes and you are still holding Sansa’s hand. Her burning palm inside your freezing grasp. Her fingers are warm, long…welcoming. And you’re probably squeezing her to the point of pain.

 

_Look at you. How pathetic you are now. Sweaty forehead, shivers, uncontrolled breathing. No one is allowed to see you like this. No one. And especially no one related to Catelyn Stark._

You finally come to your senses and  slowly tear your fingers away from Sansa’s.

 

“You can let go of my hand now Sansa” you smile at her wickedly “Unless you find pleasure in holding it”.

 

She withdraws as if been burned by fire.

 

**SANSA**

 

The rest of your journey is rather calm. After this one frantic moment of uncertain, the flight continues on and you and Petyr Baelish find yourselves in a rather pleasant conversation. He asks you about your life in New York, about your career and the reasons you ended up in the “Vanity” movie. He is nice and talkative. Keeps the eye contact and actively listens to all you are willing to say. He is also funny, willing to joke about but not in an inappropriate way. You feel yourself relax to his presence and your conversation is very natural, not forced in any way. _How weird_ you think. He is so much older, probably about 20 years or so..but that doesn’t affect your conversation. Petyr has wide knowledge of the entertainment business, of art, but also of politics and all other matters that are relevant nowadays.

Sooner than you notice, you land at LAX airport. You are tired, but only because you haven’t slept at all on this flight. But the excitement of the arrival overwhelms you. You finally are in Los Angeles.

City of dreams. City of love and city of lights. And you are about to start your new life here.

 

“Where will you be staying, Sansa?”.

 

“Um, Brentwood. My brother has a house at Mulholland Drive”.

 

“Fancy.

Is someone picking you up?”.

 

“Yea. Jon is supposed to be here”.

 

“Then I will see you tomorrow morning at the rehearsal, Sansa.” And with that, he takes your palm in is hand, second time that night, and kisses it gently.

 

The plane slowly empties. Petyr leaves as if nothing had happened between the two of you on this journey. You see his black hair slowly disappear in the distance and you can’t help but smile.

 

Tomorrow is going to be  long day, but surely very exciting.

 


End file.
